December 9, 2025, 4:01 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Face ID has been an integral part of the iPhone DNA since the iPhone X. The necessary sensors for biometric unlocking have so far been integrated into the screen design. Currently, they are located next to the front camera in the Dynamic Island. However, Apple has been working for some time on a way to move the technology under the display to reduce the notch. Now, the company has apparently achieved a breakthrough that makes this possible.
Experts are still divided on whether the next iPhone 18 could actually feature under-display Face ID. In June, this step seemed quite likely, but in the meantime, leakers have somewhat backtracked. While the notch for the camera and Face ID is expected to become smaller, it will not move under the display until the iPhone 2027 comes out.
Apple Tests Special Glass
A recent leak suggests that Apple may have found a way to make the display in the iPhone 18 series permeable for Face ID. On the Chinese blog platform Weibo, the leaker “The Wise Pikachu” writes that the company is testing under-display 3D facial recognition with “microstructured glass.” The composite material is supposed to precisely allow the infrared rays of the TrueDepth system to pass through, avoiding distortions. Suppliers are reportedly already informed and preparing for rapid production.
According to “MacRumors,” this approach is based on existing industry methods where microperforated or nanoparticulate glass allows infrared rays to pass directly over the sensor.
Smaller Notch for the Front Camera
The new rumor about a micro-transparent glass window supports the assumption that Apple is relocating parts of the TrueDepth system under the display. However, the front camera is expected to remain as a smaller notch.
However, 2026 is expected to see the release of both the iPhone 18 and the first iPhone Fold. As TECHBOOK previously reported, the foldable smartphone could be the first Apple product to feature an under-display front camera. It is not until 2027 that the iPhone 20 is expected to follow without a visible Face ID and front camera.